Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Travel Industry Reps Urge Biden Administration To Drop Mask Mandate
Reuters: U.S. Travel Industry Urges White House To Lift COVID Restrictions, Mask Mandate
The U.S. Travel Association on Tuesday urged the White House to lift COVID-19 travel restrictions and repeal a mandate requiring masks on airplanes and in other transit modes by April 18, according to a letter seen by Reuters. In a letter to Dr. Ashish Jha, the incoming White House COVID response coordinator, the group called for an immediate end to the pre-departure testing requirement for all fully vaccinated inbound international persons and ending the mask mandate by April 18 "or announcing a plan and timeline to repeal the federal mask mandate within the subsequent 90 days." (Shephardson, 3/22)
Dallas Morning News: Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants Ask Biden To Drop Face Mask Mandate
The union for flight attendants at Dallas-based Southwest Airlines is asking the White House and other aviation regulators to drop face mask mandates that have become a hallmark of flying during the COVID-19 pandemic. The TWU Local 556 union that represents that carrier’s 16,000 flight attendants said in a letter to President Joe Biden and other regulators that “Serving onboard during these contentious times and enforcing mask compliance is one of the most difficult jobs we have ever faced as flight attendants.” (Arnold, 3/22)
The New York Times: When Are Mask Mandates On Airplanes Ending?
Air travel has been one of the last holdouts for strict pandemic mask requirements. In the United States, for example, the mask mandate — which was recently extended to April 18, when it comes up for review again — is still enforced. Over the last year, 922 of those who didn’t wear masks received fines from the Transportation Security Administration, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office. But there are hints that the tide may be turning: Within the past few weeks, Danish airports and London’s Heathrow Airport have lifted their mask requirements, as have several major British airlines. (Murphy, 3/22)
In updates on covid mandates in New York —
The New York Times: A Judge On New York State’s Highest Court Is Unvaccinated And Could Be Removed From The Bench
A judge on New York State’s highest court could face removal from the bench for failing to comply with the state’s Covid vaccination mandate, according to court guidelines and state officials. Jenny Rivera, an associate judge on the state Court of Appeals, has participated remotely in the court’s activities since the fall, when the state court system’s vaccination mandate took effect and unvaccinated employees were barred from court facilities. (O'Brien, 3/23)
The New York Times: Preschoolers Can Shed Their Masks, Mayor Adams Says
In his first months as mayor, Eric Adams has been almost singularly focused on New York City’s recovery from the pandemic, urging workers to return to offices and ending mask mandates for school-age children and vaccine mandates for restaurants and gyms. Mr. Adams forged ahead with that effort on Tuesday, declaring an end to the city’s school mask mandate for children under 5 — his latest move to restore a sense of normalcy in a city battered by the coronavirus. (Fitzsimmons, 3/22)
Also —
Seattle Times: Seattle Students Walk Out Of School, Demand Mask Mandates Be Reinstated
More than 100 Seattle Public Schools students walked out of class Monday morning to protest the district’s decision to end the requirement that students and staff wear masks. Many of those students rallied at district headquarters, the John Stanford Center, to ask Superintendent Brent Jones to reinstate the mask mandate districtwide. Mask requirements for Seattle and most other districts in the state ended a week ago. (Velez, 3/21)
AP: Michigan School Paying $190K In Dispute With Outspoken Mom
A suburban Detroit school district agreed to pay nearly $190,000 to settle a lawsuit by a parent who said she lost her job after criticizing COVID-19 policies. The Rochester district released the agreement Tuesday after a public records request by The Associated Press. Controversies over masks, online learning, in-person instruction and other issues have hit schools across the U.S. during the pandemic. But the allegations in Rochester were extraordinary: Elena Dinverno accused the district of making calls that caused her to be fired from her marketing job. (White, 3/22)
